The Siberian Chiffchaff was still at Oxford Island this morning. (Birdguides).

Yesterday 5 Twite were at Glenarm car park. (Joe Lamont).

A 1st winter Little Gull was at Glenarm. (Birdguides).

Thanks to Joe Lamont for the picture of the Twite to Jeff Silvers for the picture of the Grey Heron and to Mark Killops for the picture of a Mink which was on the breakwater behind the Discovery Centre at Oxford Island yesterday.

For anyone interested in working a local patch in 2015 here is a taster from Tim Murphy of his patch in Killough in 2014.

Summary of my 3km squared Killough patch:

A pair of Gadwall turned up in Killough Harbour this morning, perhaps the final addition to the patch year list which now stands at 138, and 117 without the use of a car. The two rarest birds that have appeared on patch were Fea's Petrel and Franklin's Gull, both seen from St John's Point. However, in terms of patch rarity, the clear highlight arrived in late spring and stayed for a few months on Strand Lough, a Coot! Pure patch gold. The target for next year is 150 Species and a male Subalpine warbler!
Please take a look at the Patchwork Challenge website and join in next year.

A Greenshank was at Whitehouse Lagoon in Belfast and a Little Egret at Macedon Point. 5 Long-tailed Duck were at Greenisland Sea Park (Gerard McGeehan).

The Green-winged Teal was still at Ballycarry Bridge today. A Long-tailed Duck was found at extreme range off Glynn - best seen from Mill Bay. (Neal Warnock).

Thanks to today's photographers, to Neil Cartmill for the first Siberian Chiffchaff picture, to Mark Killops for the next two Siberian Chiffchaff pictures, to Karl Martin for the Kestrel and Wren photographs and to Robert Scott for the Moorhen picture.

A possible Great White Egret has been reported been seen to-day between Macedon Point and Whitehouse Lagoon, it was with Oystercatchers and Gulls and the observer could see it was much bigger bird even with no optical aid, he has also experience with Little and Cattle Egret,observer also noted that the bird flew and had the posture of a Grey Heron, so if anyone is in the area, well worth checking out,

A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Oxford Island ..(Birdguides)

A 1st winter male Black Redstart was at Newcastle Harbour this morning.(James O'Neill) see photo below
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A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen on the Lagan towpath, it was about 200m from the Blaris Rd entrance.(Eric Randall)

Ballyquintin Point had a White Wagtail, 10 Twite and a Jack Snipe. Knockinelder Bay had 4 Sandwich Tern.(Richard Weyl)

A Green-winged Teal was at Ballycarry bridge Co.Antrim.(Birdguides)

A Med.Gull was at Whiteabbey Co.Antrim.(Birdguides)

A flock of 100 Whooper Swan and 2 Redwing were in a field at Gransha Close above Millbrook Riding Lodge near Comber. 60 Fieldfare/Mistle Thrush/Lapwing and a Redwing were near Purdysburn Roundabout (David Clarke)

Our thanks to Tony Donaldson for the pics. of the Long-tailed Tit(pic.1) and the Tree Sparrow.(2) Lindsay Hodges for the Little Egret(3) and Kestrel(4) Denis Chambers for the Kestrel(5) James O'Neill for the Black Redstart.

Between Greyabbey Bay and Kircubbin there were
8 Slavonian Grebe‎. At Portavogie there was a Jack Snipe with 60 Snipe. Yesterday a Jack Snipe was at Horse Island. (Richard Weyl).

A mixed flock of 50+ Redwing and Fieldfares plus a Buzzard and a Goldcrest were in fields near Gracehill, Ballymena this morning. (John Loughlin & Irene Miller).

A Blackcap and a Carrion Crow were visiting a garden in Lisburn. (Peter Casey).

Today at the Newry Canal within 1/2 mile south of Scarva sightings included a Bullfinch, a Kingfisher, Buzzard, 2 Ravens, 20+ Fieldfare, 50+ Redwing, Mistle Thrust, Song Thrush, Snipe and Linnet.
(Fulton Somerville).

The juvenile Iceland Gull and a Great Northern Diver were at Larne Harbour, see pictures below. (Cecil Smyth).

A Water Rail was at Broad Water (Gerard McGeehan).

A Treecreeper was at Princess Gardens in Castlerock (William Hiles).

Thanks to Dick Glasgow for the first picture of the Starling, to Peter Casey for the pictures of the Blackcap and the Redwing, to Pauline Majury for the picture of the Common Gull, to Jane McLaughlin for the picture of the Wigeon, to Fulton Somerville for the second Starling picture and to Cecil Smyth for the pictures of the Iceland Gull and the Great Northern Diver

All of us would like to thank everyone who contributed to the blog throughout 2014 by whatever form of media network. It is down to you that the blog remains very popular. The year again provided some great birds, notably the well twitched Pacific Diver in January and the influx of Glossy Ibises, the Barred Warbler on Copeland to name but a few,here's looking forward to 2015 who knows what it will provide.To everyone who follow us CHEERS and have a wonderful Christmas.

Yesterday a large raft of Common Scoter was off Newcastle pier; at the Inner Bay near Dundrum there were 500+ Lapwing, 5 Jack Snipe, 2 Peregrine, a Black Swan and 700+ Brent and a single Skylark. At Tyrella were 2 Red Kite and at least 300 Lapwing. At St John's Point were 500+ Golden Plover, 500+ Lapwing, 100+ Linnet.(Fulton Somerville & Aidan Morgan).

Thanks to Fulton Somerville for the picture of the Stonechat, to Derek Polley for the pictures of the Tree Sparrow and the Linnets and to Jane McLaughlin for the picture of the Collared Dove.

A Sandwich Tern and 2 Sanderling were at Sandy Bay in Larne (Gerard McGeehan). A Red-throated Diver, 2 Sanderling and 3 Purple Sandpiper were at Brown's Bay (Cameron Moore).

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for this picture of a Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit, also below is a picture of the juvenile Iceland Gull from Larne, two Sanderling pictures from Cameron Moore, the picture of the pair of Eider from Cecil Smyth, the picture of the leucistic Jackdaw at Glenarm from Pauline Majury and the pictures of the Rock Pipit and the Robin from William Hamilton:

A large count of around 150 Tree Sparrow are visiting a house in Richill Co. Armagh.(Andrew Poots)

The photo's to-day have been kindly sent in by Cecil Smyth of the Iceland Gull. The second photo by Dick Glasgow of a Chaffinch(left hand bird) and a Brambling. Third pic. is of a Jay sent in by Noeni Bryars.

Welcome

This site is run by a voluntary group of birders documenting and recording information about the birds and wildlife of Northern Ireland. We provide information on rarities and interesting sightings. The sightings on this blog are not accepted records - rarities need to be confirmed, see https://nirbc.blogspot.co.uk/